System of preventing the collection of ice on rails.



No. 814,671 PATBNTBD UAR. 13, 1906.

' J. D. BURNS.

SYSTEM OF PREVENTING THE COLLECTION OF 105 ON RAILS.

' APPLICATION FILED EEB.7,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET r.

PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

J. D. BURNS SYSTEM OF PREVENTING THE COLLECTION OF ICE 0N APPLICATIONFILED PEBJ, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- mwmoz abtoowzq UNIT D STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH-D. BURNS, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF ooLuMmA. ASSIGNOR FTWENTY-FOUR ONE-HUNDREDTHS To LiNcoLN GUYNN, QF WABASH, INDIANA, ANDWILLIAM J.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-

WASHINGTON,

SHEETZ, OF.

SYSTEM. OF PREVENTING THE QOLLECTION OF ICE ON'RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 7, 1905.Serial No. 244,549.

Patented us 13. 1906.

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH D. BURNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Preventing theCollection of Ice on Rails, of which the following is aspecificationyreferencc being had therein 'to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in a system of preventing thecollect-ionof snow or me on or about rails on. which cars are to bepropelled, the main object being the provision of means wherebyelectricity is so used as t0" increase the temperature of such rails orthe atmosphere surrounding the same, so as to be above thefreezing-point, and thereby prevent snow or ice from collecting thereonor adjacent thereto.

In order to carry this invention into effect, a resistance-wire of lowconductivity is embedded in a non-conductor of electricity, but aconductor-.of heat, and held in contact with or adjacent to the railsand electricity caused To pass through the resistance-wire in suchmanner as to heat the substance surrounding the same, and therebytransmit to the rails or to the atmosphere surrounding the same suchheat as will cause the temperature of the rails or atmosphere to raiseand be held at such a degree of temperature as to prevent snow or icefrom collecting on rails or adjacent thereto.

To attain these objects and carry this invention into effect, myinvention consists of a system of this character embodying novelfeatures of construction audcombination of parts substantially asdisclosed herein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showinga complete system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview through a rail and my heat-conducting means, showing the method ofattaching the same to the rail. Fi 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinalsectional view taken through the heat-conductor.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the bus-bar, whilethe numeral 2 to the bus-bar 1 is a wire 3, which is connected to a post4, adapted to be contacted by one member 5 of the double switch 6, awire 7 connecting the member 5 of the switch to the rheostat 8.Connected to the outgoing post of the rheostat is a wire 9, whichis-eonnected to one end of the resistance-wireolo, whose other end isconnected either to the ground at 11 or to the rail '12, as may bedesired. o the bus-bar 2 I connect a wire 13, which is connected to-apost 14, ada ted to be contacted by the member 15 of tlie switch 6, thesaid member 15 being connected to the ground at 16 by means of a wire-17. Thus the circuit for feeding the resistance-wire 10 is completed.This resistance-wire is in cased within a tube or iron pipe 18 by meansof a concrete filling 19, made of a non-conductor of electricity, but ofa conductor of heat, such as clay, cement, or any silica composition,either pure or composition, such as glass or porcelain. The pipe 18 issuspended to the Web 20 of the rail 12 by means of a series of hooks 21,which pass through the web and are held in place by the fastening means22, the hooks being so constructed as to clamp the pipe 18 closelyagainst the underside of the flange .23 of the rail. By this means, theresistance-wire being of the lowest possible conductivity, heat isgenerated within the tube or pipe 18, conducted through the filling 19to the pipe, and conse( uently to the under side of the flange 23 of therail in such a manner as to increase the temperature of therail, so asto be above freezing-point, and by means of the rheostat the degree oftem perature may be increased by increasing the voltage of electricitypassing through the resistance-wire.-

I would have it understood that although I have shown the resista11ce\\'ire as grounded and fed only at the two'po'ints in a system the saidresistance-wire will be fed the same as in power systems at intervalsand grounded in like manner, thus insuring the best possible results andthe more even distribution of electricity through the resistance-wire.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it is evident that I provide a system whereby the temperature of theflange of a rail or rails may be kept at such a degree as to prevent the-ol= lection of ice thereon, and thus prevent :lu'idents by also lossofpower by giving a better contact tems, the form heretofore describedbeing readily applicable to this underground. system.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of this'character the cornbrnation with electricfeed-wires and the rails of a'railway system, of a metallic supportcarried by the Web of the rails, and means for increasing thetemperature of the rails to melt or prevent snowor ice from collectingon the rails carried by said supports, above the same and directly belowthe tread oi Lhe rail, the said'means being connected. directly to thefeed-wires, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a systemof this character, the cone bination with electricfeed-Wires and the rails of a railway system, of metallicsupportscarried by the webs of the rails,a metallic tube or pipe removablysupported in said supports, a resistance-wire incascd within said tubeor pipe, 'a- .lastic non-conductor of electricity and con uctor of heatforming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding theresistance-wire, and means for con necting the wire tosaidresistance-wire.

3. In a system of this character, the combination with electricteed-wires and the rails of a trolley system, of metallic supportsarried by the'web of the rails and a metallic tube or pipe removablysupported in said supa ports, a resistance-Wire incased within said tubeor pipe, a plastic non-conductor of ele'ctricity and conductor of heatforming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding theresistance-wire, and means for connecting the fcedavirc to saidresistance-wire. 4. In a systemof this character, the combination withelectric feed-wires and the rails of atrolley system, of metallicsupports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic tube or piperemovably supported in said supports, a coiled resistance-wire incasedwithin said tube-or pipe, a plastic non-conductor of electricity andconductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe andsurrounding the coiled resistance-wire, and means'for connecting thefeed-wires to said resistance-wire.

5. In a system ofthis character, the combin-ation with feedwires andrails of a trolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web ofthe rails, a metallic envelop detachably carried by the supports, and aresistance-wire so mounted within' the envelop as to be free from. theaction of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot be burned out and.movably supported by means forconnecting the feed-wires to saidresistance-wire. (3. In a-system of this character, the combination withfeed-wires and rails of a. trolley system, ofmetallic supports carriedby the -web of the rails, a metallic envelop detachably carried by thesupports, a coiled resistance-wire so mounted Within the envelop-as tobe free from the action of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot befused, and means for connecting the feed-ivires to said resistance-wire.

- 7. The combination with bus-bars and rails of a trolley system,of'metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic tube orpipe removably supported by the sup ports, tube or pipe, tricity andconductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe andsurrounding the resistance-wire and conductors for electricity connectedto the bus-bars and the resistance-wire.

8. In a system of this character, the combination with bus-bars andrails of a trolley system, of metallicsupports carried by the web of therails, a-metallio tube or pipe rethe said supports, a coiledresistance-wire incased within said tube orpipe, a plastic non-conductorof electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass withinthe tube or pipe and surrounding the coiled resistance-wire, andconductors "for electricity connected to the bus-bars andresistance-wire.

9. In a system of this character, the combination with electricfeed-wires and the rails of a trolley systein, of metallic supportscarried by the iveb of the rails, a metallic tube 'or pipcremovablyattached to the supports,

a resistance-wire of low conductivity incased within said tube or pipe,a plastic non-conductor of electricity and conductor of heat forming ahomogeneous mass Within the tube or pipe and surrounding there.sistancewire and means for connecting the feed-wire to said resistance-w ire. I

10. In a system of this character the combination with feed wires andrails of a trolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web ofthe rails, a metallic envelop detachably supported by the supports, aresistancewire of low conductivity so mounted within the envelop as tobe free from the action'of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot befused and means for connecting the feedwires to said resistance-wire.

11. The combination with bus-bars and rails of a trolley system, ofmetallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic pipe ortube removably attached to the rails, aresistance-wire of lowconductivity incased within said tube or pipe, a plastic non-conductorof electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass withinthe tube a resistanc'ewvireincased within saida plastlc non-conductor ofelecor xipeand surrounding the x'0sistance\\'ir6, anti conductorsof'elm-tricity connected to the hus baI's and the resistante-wire.

12. In a system 01 this c aracter, the (unil i1mtion with busters andrails of a trolley system, Qf metallic supports carried by the web (ifthe rails, a metallic tube removably attached to the supports, a (oiledresistance- \\'ire-0f low tulw or pipe, :1, plastic non-conductor ofelec? tricity antlconductor of heatforming a hoconductw'ity incasedwithin said inogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding thecoiled resistance-wire, and conductors for electricity connected to thebus-bars and the resistance-wire.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIA D. BURNS. Witnesses W. J. SnEETz, DAVID P. MOORE.

